“Twist of the Wrist” Guru offers safety advice

[Bob]

Keith Code, founder of the California Superbike School, offered the following tips for safely enjoying a motorcycle ride in a recent interview.

“First, don’t mix booze and bikes.” Said the ‘Twist of the Wrist’ author.

“Intersection (junction) collisions are still the major source of accidents” he said. When a car makes a left in front of the motorcycle, the cyclists has to take safety precautions at the intersection other than eye contact. A driver may look right at you and not even see you.”

“Use the front brakes. They provide 90 percent of the stopping power”.

Code said that riding defensively can make motorcyclists even more invisible “That means you’re going to have to have 360-degree vision, and know everything that’s going on around you” He advocates assertive manoeuvres — speeding up, slowing down and moving back and forth within a lane to create visibility.

Code also cautions riders not to rely too heavily on wearing bright colours or loud exhaust systems. “There are too many things in the environment that compete with bright clothes, but a rider with a brightly coloured top and loud pipes who is moving around in his lane is going to improve his chances of recognition.”

[Velox]

Hmmmm. Probably not the most helpful advise on motorcycling that's ever been published. The rest of the book does have some useful stuff though and he does seem to know what he's on about. It's just for some reason he spells everything out l e t t e r by l e t t e r as if you've got some learning disorder. Especially in those 'definition' sections at the end of each chapter.
It's good though that he points out stuff that you would otherwise just take for granted, and makes you focus on how efficiently you're actually doing it - especially for people like me who can become slack in our riding from commuting everwhere, every day.
At least it's not as blatantly basic as that "Biker's Bible" though eh?!

[Bob]

Hmmmm. Probably not the most helpful advise on motorcycling that's ever been published. The rest of the book does have some useful stuff though and he does seem to know what he's on about. It's just for some reason he spells everything out l e t t e r by l e t t e r as if you've got some learning disorder. Especially in those 'definition' sections at the end of each chapter.
It's good though that he points out stuff that you would otherwise just take for granted, and makes you focus on how efficiently you're actually doing it - especially for people like me who can become slack in our riding from commuting everwhere, every day.
At least it's not as blatantly basic as that "Biker's Bible" though eh?!

Must admit I avoided the book and went straight for the DVD version! Well worth watching - it does make you think about what you are doing.

In the UK, there is a video put out by the Driving Standards Agency called "What If?" - it is a video all about observation skills. That is also well worth watching from time to time - it really highlights how much you SHOULD see but do not.

The UK theory test now has an observation skills test in it - you have to watch a series of short films and click when you spot a hazard. So if you're not observant, you don't get to take your practical test.

Shame they can't back-date this for 'pure' car drivers...

[matthewt]

It's just for some reason he spells everything out l e t t e r by l e t t e r as if you've got some learning disorder.

Well he does mainly teach americans

He's a nice enough guy, I meet him a few years ago when I did his level 1 course at Willow springs in LA. It was a very worthwhile experience (except for the drama driving to the track but that's a very long story).

[Ghost Lemur]

...(except for the drama driving to the track but that's a very long story).

A very long story, that you must now share.

[WarlockNZ]

Must admit I avoided the book and went straight for the DVD version! Well worth watching - it does make you think about what you are doing.

In the UK, there is a video put out by the Driving Standards Agency called "What If?" - it is a video all about observation skills. That is also well worth watching from time to time - it really highlights how much you SHOULD see but do not.

The UK theory test now has an observation skills test in it - you have to watch a series of short films and click when you spot a hazard. So if you're not observant, you don't get to take your practical test.

Shame they can't back-date this for 'pure' car drivers...

You wouldn't be able to make me a copy of said DVD would you bob ???